Georgia Film Stories
Georgia is one of the top film-production centers in the world, thanks to the Georgians, small businesses and engaged communities that work together to create the best climate for storytellers to succeed.
In fact, the best stories in the business are the personal stories of the Georgians who work behind the scenes — whether it’s the production that has spurred new investment in a local community, the small business that has expanded to serve the industry, or the Georgian who has obtained professional training to become a crewmember on a set. Collaborating with industry partners and Georgia’s “camera ready” contacts, the Georgia Film Office is cataloging stories in Georgia’s film industry from across the state to tell the story of how “Georgia Film Works!” Submit your own Georgia Film success story.
Small Business Stories
Small business stories spotlight the local small businesses that serve Georgia’s film industry.
Production Stories
Production stories spotlight the impact specific movie productions have had in local Georgia communities.
Georgian Stories
Georgian stories spotlight individuals working in Georgia’s film industry.
Georgia Film Academy
The Georgia Film Academy is a collaborative effort between the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia to support the workforce in Georgia’s film industry. It is affiliated with more than 25 campuses across the state and connects Georgia students with production employment.
The trustees of Timothy Lutheran Church (TLC) in Woodstock were excited to get an unexpected windfall from the Christian movie “A Walking Miracle” filmed in Georgia. While looking for a location to shoot a pivotal action...
Dallas resident and electrical contractor Rick Harris started Harris Diversified as an electrical equipment rental company catering to the film industry. What began as a family operation, quickly grew to 14 full time...
Hudson Hickory House in Douglasville has been owned and operated by Buford and Scot Huson since 1971. But it wasn’t until the growth of Georgia’s film economy that the restaurant had the opportunity to shine in front of...
After moving to Georgia from Louisiana more than 30 years ago, Patrice Kelly worked many jobs and wore many hats. Housing manager. Sales support. Administration roles. She grew tired of her path through Corporate America...
David Nash was a struggling remodeling contractor who decided to try his hand at set carpentry in the film industry. Today, he is the owner of his own studio, Wilder Studios, which has been fully booked since it opened...
After moving to Georgia from Puerto Rico to work in production rigging, Manny Rivera saw an opportunity to start his own business. Grip It Good was founded in 2015, and it supplies rigging equipment to TV and film...
Merritt Sullivan was a trained horticulturalist and loved everything about plants. But a few years after college, she was frustrated by the limited opportunities in nurseries and landscaping.
Barbara Zagrodnik has always been on the front lines of the growing film community in Augusta. With each production in Augusta, Barbara sees the impact on crew depth, location logistics, and overall community development...
Erika Crawford Gordon of Rome is a Registered Nurse with Northside Hospital who found a way to make extra income as a babysitter on production sets for TV and film. With this new revenue opportunity, Erika has been able...
For Decatur resident Nikki Dillard, following her dream to enter the film industry meant moving to a new state that has become a global leader for movie and TV production, according to officials.
Originally from Chicago...
HBO's "Sharp Objects" filmed entirely in Barnesville, Georgia."We hope when this production company leaves they sing the praises of Barnesville."
Scott Nickelson left Georgia after high school only to return 20 years later to work as a communications technician within the film industry. Now living in Rome with his family, Scott is part of Exchange Communications...
Catering by Chef Rob was started by Robert Smith and is based in Doraville. His company handles all the catering for many productions throughout Atlanta. Since relocating to DeKalb County, Robert has created four...
For Ginger Steele of Columbus, Georgia's film and TV production industry provided a new career path in her 40s.
Ginger, now 51, was working in radio when Columbus State university began offering its associate degree...
College Park resident Dwight Abercrombie credits the film industry for getting his life back on track. Before working in film, he worked “dead-end” jobs that all seemed to end the same. An opportunity at EUE/Screen Gems...
Atlanta realtor, Mary Louise Freeman, used her intimate knowledge of neighborhoods in the city to become a location scout and assistant location manager during the recession. After working on many major film productions...
Macon native Catina was drawn back to her home state after a stint studying film production at UCLA. As the industry acknowledged the incredible growth of the film industry in Georgia, she thought it would be a perfect...
Greg Fischer grew up in Atlanta, but when he and his wife fell in love with rehabbing old houses, a friend suggested they move to where the action is - Macon.
Karen Felix has spent 15 years in the film industry, mainly working as a property master. After quitting her restaurant job in 2004, she has been working steadily in the film economy. Now her passion is supporting and...
Operational since 2020, Cinelease Studios – Three Ring has undergone a significant expansion to deliver state-of-the-art soundstages and studio facilities to productions shooting in Georgia.
Set lighting technician Colin Luke moved to Georgia from Louisiana to join the thriving film industry in the state. As a skilled lighting technician, Colin works with the director of photography to light sets and...
Retired sheriff’s deputy, Ben Payne, started Risk Management Associates of Georgia to address the security challenges on production sets and studios. He now employs 50 full-time employees, with many of them being on-call...
“Ozark is one of the 234 TV and film productions that helped make a dent in Georgia’s economy during fiscal year 2020. From production of season 3 alone, more than 1,000 Georgians were hired largely as members of the...
Occasionally we check-in with some of the people featured in our stories to learn how their careers are progressing in Georgia's production industry. Here's an update on Theresa Daniel.
When Covid-19 derailed...
